Communication and interaction - identifying needs (KS1)

SEND Code of Practice

Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. This may be because they have difficulty saying what they want to, understanding what is being said to them or they do not understand or use social rules of communication. The profile for every child with SLCN is different and their needs may change over time. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or social communication at different times of their lives.

What might I see in a child with receptive language difficulties (difficulties understanding language)

Attention and listening difficulties
Preferring own agenda and difficulties following instructions
May need extra time or support to understand multistep instructions
May interpret language literally
May struggle to understand jokes and sarcasm
Reduced confidence and self-esteem

What might I see in a child with expressive language difficulties (difficulties using language)?

Speech sound difficulties, making it hard to be understood by others to get their message across
Fluency issues (stammering)
Limited vocabulary and difficulties learning new vocabulary
Difficulties with finding the right word
Difficulties constructing a sentence in the right order
Anxiety when speaking in some situations but not others (selective mutism)

What might I see in a child with social interaction differences?

Preference for autonomy and following their own interests
Directness and reduced use of social conventions such as greetings
Reduced awareness or use of body language or facial expression to guide their interactions
May process and display feelings differently (feeling them more intensely, expressing them differently and/or seeking sensory stimulation to regulate)
May experience sensory processing differences (e.g. sensitivity to and/or seeking certain experiences)
Difficulties following group instructions or working cooperatively without a clear structure

What might I see in a child who has difficulty with friendships?

Difficulties forming friendships
Difficulties maintaining friendships
Difficulties understanding the concept of different social relationships or hierarchies
Difficulties compromising and negotiating as part of play (leading to conflict at unstructured times)

Speech language and communication needs can vary in their severity. Some children may experience a mild difficulty that can be managed through high quality teaching, while others with more significant difficulties may require group intervention and/or 1:1 intervention with advice recommended by a Speech and Language Therapist. It is important to consider the impact of communication and interaction needs on the other areas of a child’s development, such as their social- emotional development, wellbeing and literacy development.

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